Ingo's Thoughts
by MasterofHearts1313
Summary: Just a look at Ingo, the unappreciated worker on Lon Lon Ranch. I hope you like it.


Well, I just noticed that Ingo doesn't seem to star in a lot of fics, and I think he deserves a little bit more love than he gets. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Ingo's Thoughts

Ingo hoisted his trusty old pitchfork over his shoulder as he looked over the freshly cleaned stalls. It was a daily task, but Ingo couldn't help taking pride in his work. He breathed in deeply. "Ah, fresh and clean, just like a stable should be." He turned to the door and, smiling, walked out of the stalls.

The dawn was just shining over the horizon. Some of the horses that Ingo had only let out of the stall a little while ago had fallen asleep on their feet. The quiet peaceful morning was only interrupted by Talon's thunderous snore from the farmhouse.

Ingo covered his ears and sighed. He smiled as he walked towards the cow barn. Milking wasn't the most fun job, but it kept the rupees coming in. Sure, with the many cows on the farm, it would be hours before he was back out, but there was nothing better than the feel of a job well done.

---

Ingo sighed as he rolled the last milk drum to the wall with the rest of the stack. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he watched the cows file out into the pasture. He followed the last one out to see that it was already late in the morning.

The mustachioed farmhand walked over to the farmhouse. True, he spent most of his time working, but that didn't mean that he didn't need to eat.

Ingo took a couple slices of bread and a small block of cheese. He looked over at Talon, who was sleeping against the table, cuccos sitting on his arms and head.

"I should have known he'd still be sleeping," Ingo said as he sat at the table. "Probably the only thing he ever does. Probably the only thing he's ever done."

Ingo smirked as he remembered when he first joined his lazy employer. His father had advised that he should become a salesman like his red-haired, cheesy-smiled, mask-grubbing brother, but Ingo just never saw the point in doing a job that was merely expounding on the works of others. When he had first met Talon and his wife, he was more than willing to help them build their house. He even helped make a room and carve a crib for the expected child. He went on to build the fences, stable, barn, and even the wall.

He worked nearly endlessly, but he rarely tired of the work. He liked to muse on the idea that maybe Talon's laziness might have been the old man sleeping for both of them. It would probably be the only help he received from Talon, but the rancher was kind enough to give him a job and place to stay. The only real qualm he had was the lack of credit he received.

Ingo smirked as he stood up. He rubbed Talon's bald head as he passed, frustrating the cuccos from sleep. If Ingo was lucky, they might just peck Talon awake.

As Ingo walked out, he already had his day planned. He filled the water troughs of the horses and cows and made sure that the grain was rationed in the feedbags for the evening meals and poured feed for the cuccos on the ranch.

Ingo stopped after a while. He would still have to get around to bottling the milk, but right now, he had his rare time to rest briefly. He sat down in the grass, watching the horses. They were so elegant, so graceful. He would have loved owning a horse, but the closest he came to that was taking care of Talon's horses. The whole ranch was Talon's. He often mused on his own ranch.

"But Ingo's Ranch?" He shook his head violently. "That just doesn't sound right." _Sure, credit is nice, but no need to get heady. All that attention may lead to being like Talon, and that would be bad. Besides, in order to start a ranch, you need a lot of money, and that's not going to happen for me soon._

"Mr. Ingo?"

Ingo looked up to come eye-to-eye with no one other than Malon, Talon's small daughter. She would work some on the farm, but she was still young, so she couldn't be expected to do much work.

"Are you okay, Mr. Ingo?"

Ingo smirked. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired."

"Oh." Malon sat down beside Ingo. She looked up at Ingo instead of the clouds. "Why do you work so hard?"

"Because your father never works."

"Do you hate him for it? Is that why you yell at him all the time?"

Ingo smirked, placing a hand on Malon's head and running his fingers through her hair. "No, I don't hate Talon. And I yell at him no more than you do, whenever he sleeps too much."

"Oh." Malon sat there for a moment, thinking. "How old are you, Mr. Ingo? Younger than papa? Is that why you don't sleep as much?"

Ingo smiled down at Malon. "I'm older than you, and that's all I'm saying on that topic." It was true, he knew Malon for her entire life. He made her room, watched her from afar, even saved her from the cuccos a couple times, and after her mother died, he taught her the ways of the ranch. He was like her older brother. Not uncle, brother. Though most wouldn't believe it, he was only in his late twnties. He had ran away from home to join the circus, where practice and dedication brought results. Instead, he found Talon, but Ingo thought that this job was even more satisfying than the circus.

"Mr. Ingo, why is it that you grumble so much about how lazy papa is?"

"Oh, and you don't often complain about his sleeping in?" Ingo rubbed his hand on Malon's head pretty hard. He looked up at the clouds. _Of course, maybe I'm just a little envious. Talon has hardly worked a day in his life, and he's got this wonderful ranch, had a wonderful marriage, and this beautiful young daughter. I, however, work myself to the bone, and at the end of the day, I have nothing. Well, maybe the satisfaction of a job well done, but it's not like anyone else notices._

Malon cocked her head as she looked up at Ingo. "Mr. Ingo, why do you rarely talk to me and papa?"

"Because I'm busy!" Ingo snapped. He held up his hands and shooed Malon away. "Now go play with your llittle pony or something. I've got to go bottle milk and take care of the animals."

Malon stood up, giggling. "'Kay." But instead of running away, she leaned over and kissed Ingo on the cheek. "Thanks for taking such good care of the animals and papa and me. I doubt there's anyone who knows more about ranching than you." With this, she ran off.

Ingo watched Malon. He stood up and placed his pitchfork on his shoulder. As he walked off to the barn, he touched his cheek and looked back. "Well, maybe Talon and everyone else doesn't give me credit now, but maybe they will when Malon takes over." He turned back to the barn and started walking again. _Until then, Malon is enough._

---

Okay, this is not an Ingo/Malon crack-fic. This is merely Malon appreciating Ingo. Of course, the pairing might not be a hundred percent crack, but I don't think it's that far flung. Just not cared for by fans.

Anyways, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed, and please review.


End file.
